Chalice - Walnut, Padauk, Red Oak

My father is amazing. There’s a ton of respect to be had for the man. Today, we went to a woodworker convention, and after testing some Easy Wood Tools (each person got to make a free pen), he straight up bought me a rougher and a hollower.

So I decided he needed something for his desk. Straight home after the convention, we popped this blank on the lathe and went to town together, taking turns hollowing this massive chalice. It’s 4 inches in diameter, and 9 inches tall – a beastly project to be trying out new tools, for sure. At least I think so. I hope he appreciates it as much as I appreciate the tools. This sure as heck dwarfs the goblet I made him earlier. It might even make a nice pen cup…

The chalice is made from 3 species – oak, padauk, and walnut – my dad’s favorite, my wife’s favorite, and my favorite, respectively. I finished with some polyurethane, and then buffed it up nice with some orange oil beeswax mix that I got from Home Teapot.

EDIT: By the way, the man that makes Easy Wood Tools – Craig Jackson? Yeah, I totally met that guy at the convention. He was friggin selling the turning tools.

I somehow lost my respect for Home Depot over the years, so they took on a more unbecoming nickname. ;) I think it was somewhere between being told “dude, it’s f—-ing plywood” and the moron who, when asked to describe the difference between walnut oil and butcher block oil, could somehow only produce “It’s a difference, yeah.” as an answer, I can no longer go to HD without cringing first at where I’m about to shop.